Plastic wrapping on hold luggage
Discussion
We are flying to Joburg in a few weeks on holiday. Last time we went our luggage was opened but nothing seemed to have been stolen (from memory, it was 16 years ago....). One way to put off the baggage handlers from trying to nick your stuff seems to be to wrap your hold luggage in plastic. Has anyone done this before? Thanks.
Are you sure your bag wasn't just opened by customs/security, usually just as part of a random search post bag drop? These days youshould find a little note inside your bag telling you it had happened but 16 years ago that may well not have been procedure - and still might not be in some countries/airports.
Personally I've always seem plastic wrapped bags as saying one of the following:
a) I have stuff worth pinching (and somehow believe the staff don't have one of these machines out the back they could use to re-wrap my bag with).
b) My bag broke/looked like it was going to break so it was wrapped by the baggage throwers as they didn't want your dirty pants getting wrapped around the conveyor system.
c) You're trying to hide something (and so actually attracting the eye of customer/security and making it more likely to be inspected).
Personally I've always seem plastic wrapped bags as saying one of the following:
a) I have stuff worth pinching (and somehow believe the staff don't have one of these machines out the back they could use to re-wrap my bag with).
b) My bag broke/looked like it was going to break so it was wrapped by the baggage throwers as they didn't want your dirty pants getting wrapped around the conveyor system.
c) You're trying to hide something (and so actually attracting the eye of customer/security and making it more likely to be inspected).
//j17 said:
Are you sure your bag wasn't just opened by customs/security, usually just as part of a random search post bag drop? These days youshould find a little note inside your bag telling you it had happened but 16 years ago that may well not have been procedure - and still might not be in some countries/airports.
Personally I've always seem plastic wrapped bags as saying one of the following:
a) I have stuff worth pinching (and somehow believe the staff don't have one of these machines out the back they could use to re-wrap my bag with).
b) My bag broke/looked like it was going to break so it was wrapped by the baggage throwers as they didn't want your dirty pants getting wrapped around the conveyor system.
c) You're trying to hide something (and so actually attracting the eye of customer/security and making it more likely to be inspected).
TBH not sure, could easily have been security in Joburg. Personally I've always seem plastic wrapped bags as saying one of the following:
a) I have stuff worth pinching (and somehow believe the staff don't have one of these machines out the back they could use to re-wrap my bag with).
b) My bag broke/looked like it was going to break so it was wrapped by the baggage throwers as they didn't want your dirty pants getting wrapped around the conveyor system.
c) You're trying to hide something (and so actually attracting the eye of customer/security and making it more likely to be inspected).
I'm a bit like you in that I think it potentially attracts more attention, but not really sure if I am right, and whether it does deter thieves. Not that our luggage will be carrying anything more than clothes (although I am taking surfing gear for the 2nd part of out trip to Cape Town).
Here's a couple of tips especially for JNB. I've been in and out of there many times with 40K of photographic kit.
When you pack your stuff that HAS to go in the hold put all of the suitcase contents in a large plastic bag, eg strong bin liner, seal it with strong tape, and then staple across.
If anyone opens the case they will see the sealed bag and reconsider whether to proceed with their intentions.
By all means have them airport wrapped, it does reduce the chance of theft.
Secondly, and probably more importantly when you arrive at your destination and open the case you will see immediately whether anyone has been in there. It saves the stress and time that would be taken up trying to remember what went into the cases before leaving.
Next tip is to buy some gas/electric meter seals and use those to seal the cases. Easily undone by yourself or genuine security and the gangs are unlikely to walking around with pliers.
Believe me, anything that looks tasty to them slips one side. It's more than a one man band setup.
When you pack your stuff that HAS to go in the hold put all of the suitcase contents in a large plastic bag, eg strong bin liner, seal it with strong tape, and then staple across.
If anyone opens the case they will see the sealed bag and reconsider whether to proceed with their intentions.
By all means have them airport wrapped, it does reduce the chance of theft.
Secondly, and probably more importantly when you arrive at your destination and open the case you will see immediately whether anyone has been in there. It saves the stress and time that would be taken up trying to remember what went into the cases before leaving.
Next tip is to buy some gas/electric meter seals and use those to seal the cases. Easily undone by yourself or genuine security and the gangs are unlikely to walking around with pliers.
Believe me, anything that looks tasty to them slips one side. It's more than a one man band setup.
RGG said:
Here's a couple of tips especially for JNB. I've been in and out of there many times with 40K of photographic kit.
When you pack your stuff that HAS to go in the hold put all of the suitcase contents in a large plastic bag, eg strong bin liner, seal it with strong tape, and then staple across.
If anyone opens the case they will see the sealed bag and reconsider whether to proceed with their intentions.
By all means have them airport wrapped, it does reduce the chance of theft.
Secondly, and probably more importantly when you arrive at your destination and open the case you will see immediately whether anyone has been in there. It saves the stress and time that would be taken up trying to remember what went into the cases before leaving.
Next tip is to buy some gas/electric meter seals and use those to seal the cases. Easily undone by yourself or genuine security and the gangs are unlikely to walking around with pliers.
Believe me, anything that looks tasty to them slips one side. It's more than a one man band setup.
Many thanks, that's very helpful of you. When you pack your stuff that HAS to go in the hold put all of the suitcase contents in a large plastic bag, eg strong bin liner, seal it with strong tape, and then staple across.
If anyone opens the case they will see the sealed bag and reconsider whether to proceed with their intentions.
By all means have them airport wrapped, it does reduce the chance of theft.
Secondly, and probably more importantly when you arrive at your destination and open the case you will see immediately whether anyone has been in there. It saves the stress and time that would be taken up trying to remember what went into the cases before leaving.
Next tip is to buy some gas/electric meter seals and use those to seal the cases. Easily undone by yourself or genuine security and the gangs are unlikely to walking around with pliers.
Believe me, anything that looks tasty to them slips one side. It's more than a one man band setup.
Don’t use locks on the case, they’ll only knife the zip instead. Use cable ties - they’ll still get in but your case won’t spill its reduced contents during your trip.
Wrap allows you to not need to check at destination. If it’s missing, check and file any claim with the airline before you leave the airport.
Do not put anything of value in checked luggage, obviously.
The risk of theft is real, more so if you have to transit. I’ve had it 3-4 times at Nairobi.
Wrap allows you to not need to check at destination. If it’s missing, check and file any claim with the airline before you leave the airport.
Do not put anything of value in checked luggage, obviously.
The risk of theft is real, more so if you have to transit. I’ve had it 3-4 times at Nairobi.
I don’t think it’s the issue it used to be way back when.
I’ve flown quite a lot through various South African airports and never had my bag tampered with there. I can only assume that OR Tambo got such a bad rep that they clamped down on it.
For reference I use a samsonite hard case with a TSA lock so genuine security can open it rather than crowbar it open if they wish to look inside. It would appear that’s a sufficient enough deterrent as that suitcase has flown on well over 100 flights all over the world without a single theft. If you’re not carrying anything valuable like camera equipment I don’t see that you stand to gain much by paying to shrink wrap it. Heathrow it’s £15+ per bag. I’ll keep taking my chances and with any luck they‘ll nick all my dirty washing next time, save me the bother.
I’ve flown quite a lot through various South African airports and never had my bag tampered with there. I can only assume that OR Tambo got such a bad rep that they clamped down on it.
For reference I use a samsonite hard case with a TSA lock so genuine security can open it rather than crowbar it open if they wish to look inside. It would appear that’s a sufficient enough deterrent as that suitcase has flown on well over 100 flights all over the world without a single theft. If you’re not carrying anything valuable like camera equipment I don’t see that you stand to gain much by paying to shrink wrap it. Heathrow it’s £15+ per bag. I’ll keep taking my chances and with any luck they‘ll nick all my dirty washing next time, save me the bother.
I have flown to SA many times, and the rules I go by is use hard cases with latches (zips can be circumvented too easy), and as someone above recommend use some sealing tabs, decent cases should have that feeding through the (pretty much standard) TSA lock on the latch, a cable tie does the job for me. One caveat to that, Pelicase's bring attention to themselves, but a well used hardcase the likes of flight crew uses will get ignored.
Sealing up the contents inside the case is an interesting one, not a bad idea. But when flying though the likes of JNB, anything of real value that I can't afford to get stolen gets carry onboard with me - although strapping a 6kg telephoto lens to the side of my already overloaded backpack didn't do my back any favours.
Sealing up the contents inside the case is an interesting one, not a bad idea. But when flying though the likes of JNB, anything of real value that I can't afford to get stolen gets carry onboard with me - although strapping a 6kg telephoto lens to the side of my already overloaded backpack didn't do my back any favours.
smack said:
I have flown to SA many times, and the rules I go by is use hard cases with latches (zips can be circumvented too easy), and as someone above recommend use some sealing tabs, decent cases should have that feeding through the (pretty much standard) TSA lock on the latch, a cable tie does the job for me. One caveat to that, Pelicase's bring attention to themselves, but a well used hardcase the likes of flight crew uses will get ignored.
Sealing up the contents inside the case is an interesting one, not a bad idea. But when flying though the likes of JNB, anything of real value that I can't afford to get stolen gets carry onboard with me - although strapping a 6kg telephoto lens to the side of my already overloaded backpack didn't do my back any favours.
Probably a bit off topic for the OP or maybe not.Sealing up the contents inside the case is an interesting one, not a bad idea. But when flying though the likes of JNB, anything of real value that I can't afford to get stolen gets carry onboard with me - although strapping a 6kg telephoto lens to the side of my already overloaded backpack didn't do my back any favours.
Just to add to the "Pelicase" luggage types. I stopped using those through JNB because they were always pulled and "disappeared" for 24-48 hrs. Interestingly it was not to filch photographic gear but because other Africans from neighbouring countries were using them to transport the "wrong" banned foods. It was routine for customs to do that.
Peli style hand luggage was also looked into in my experience.
Mr Pointy said:
HotJambalaya said:
I would just chip in to add that using TSA locks on anything is the same as the suitcase being open. Everyone has a key that can open them, theres only 7 combinations of key.
Indeed - you can buy them from Amazon or ebay.Had to laugh at Dalaman Airport a few years ago - guy had his case wrapped. Security made him open it before he was allowed in the terminal. Once inside, he re-wrapped it using a machine on the concourse. Got to checkin, and a security officer stepped in and asked him to open his case. he told the security guy that he'd already done that, but the security guy insisted. Turned out, this was around the time Erdogan had been attacked in Marmaris, and security were checking anything that looked suspicious.
djc206 said:
Mr Pointy said:
HotJambalaya said:
I would just chip in to add that using TSA locks on anything is the same as the suitcase being open. Everyone has a key that can open them, theres only 7 combinations of key.
Indeed - you can buy them from Amazon or ebay.Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff